Forgiveness Is Love
by ShayannTaylor
Summary: Anabelle promised her dying mother that she would travel to South Dakota to find her father that left when she was 8. along the way she makes new friends and has 2 love interests


_It was a dark stormy night, in __Charlottesville, Virginia. Anabelle was knitting by her mothers bedside when her mother started to stir. Anabelle put her knitting down and went to her mothers side. _

"_Mama, I'm right here." Anabelle said in a quiet voice. " Ana.. Dear. Listen to me..." Caroline said to her daughter between deep breaths "Mama don't talk. You need to rest." Anabelle said " NO.. I must tell you this now... Your Father... Your father did send for us. But I was to stubborn to leave all that we have in Charlottesville... I didn't want to leave all the convinces we had... go out... to the unknown." Caroline stopped speaking to catch her breath. " Promise me Ana.. that you will go to the Dakotas and try and find your father once I'm gone." Caroline said " Mama.. your going to get better if you would just rest. The doctor even said you would." Anabelle said " Ana Dear you don't decide when you leave. That's the good lords job. And he's calling me home. Remember what you promised... in the bottom of... my trunk... you will find all... of your fathers letters. I love you Ana dear." Caroline said and then took her last breath. Anabelle cried but nobody heard her because of the storm._

The bumping of the stage coach brought Anabelle back from her memory. She had been on the stage coach for almost almost 3 whole months. The destination for tonight was Sioux City, Iowa. There she would get off the stage for a couple days and rest up before heading out to Pierre, South Dakota which according to her fathers letters was the last town he was living in. Anabelle was so glad when they finally reached Sioux City. She couldn't believe her eyes. Sioux City was so primitive. The roads where just mud and the board walkes were made out of wood instead of cement. " Oh What Have I gotten myself into?" Anabelle asked as she got off at the stage coach drop and she made a face as she grabbed her carpet bag and tried to hold up her skirt so she wouldn't get mud on her traveling dress. The driver got her 3 trunks down off the stage tipped his hat and then left to continue his journey. Now where did she go to find a respectable place to stay for two nights. She looked around and saw the Livery and decided that was the best place to start, but how would she watch her trunks. " Howdy Miss. Do ya need some help." Anabelle looked up into the greenest eyes she ever seen. " Why yes, I am in need of help." Anabelle said " Well I just happen to be great in that department." The man said with a smile as he loaded up Anabelle's trunks. " We will go to Miss Hatty's Hotel. She has the best Hotel out here. Man she sure does make a good Cherry pie." The man said as he lead the way through the mud and puddles with her trunks on a wagon. They soon were outside the cutest little place Anabelle had ever seen. " Well Gage Turner.. I am so dog gone glad your back honeybun." Miss Hatty said as she gave the man a hug. " Aunt Hatty. I'm glad to be back." Gage said " I see your brought me a right pretty little thing here." Miss Hatty said as she turned towards Anabelle " Hello, Miss Hatty. I'm Anabelle Matthews and Gage here said you had the best Hotel in town and I was wondering if you had a room I could rent for a couple of days?" Anabelle asked " You darn right I have the best Hotel here and I got me a couple of free rooms." Miss Hatty said as she lead the way inside. Anabelle noticed the colors. The entrance was a nice sage color trimmed with a nice shade of yellow. She also noticed the hotel has a very homey feel to it as well. " Here ya are deary. Best room in the whole darn Hotel." Miss Hatty said as she opened the door to the nicest room Anabelle has ever seen. Her room was the prettiest shade of purple she had ever seen, trimmed in a lighter purple with the tiniest white flowers painted all over the wall. " Gage. You be a good gentlemen and bring up Miss Anabelle's Trunks and then you may join in the kitchen for Coffee." Miss Hatty said " Yes Aunt Hatty." Gage said as he went back to the front of the Hotel to get Anabelle's trunks. " So Miss Anabelle, Tell what brings you out west?" Miss Hatty asked " I'm looking for my Father. He left when I was 8 years old and came out to the Dakotas to start a farm. He was tired of being stuck city, but he stayed because of my Mother. She loved Charlottesville and the society circle and the parties. My Father hated it. He was the raised in a semi wealthy home, My Grandmother was a Nanny and My Grandfather was a butcher. Being Irish Immigrants my Grandparents wanted a better life for my Father and and his 3 little sisters. My Mother and Father meet at a charity function that my fathers church put on and it was love a first sight. My Parents Married within the year and then 9 months later I came along." Anabelle told Miss Hatty about her family and she couldn't figure out why she was telling this sweet old lady all about her family but she had feeling it was going to come in mighty handy before to long. "Alrighty I have Miss Anabelle's Trunks in her room and now I want me a cup of Jo." Gage said as he made his way to the stove where the coffee was.

Anabelle watched the man that had helped her and noticed a scar that ran down the back of his left ear to the bottom of his neck. " That's where a bull got him during roundup last year." Miss Hatty said when she saw Anabelle looking at the scar. " And he's still alive? That's amazing." Anabelle said " Honey, Only the Good Lord decides when it is and when it isn't your time to go." Miss Hatty said with a smile. " Oh Jerusalem Crickets look at the time. I got to start lunch. Look me with, I haven't had a good visit with another women in ages and I forget that Ive gots people to feed." Miss Hatty said as she got up and threw a big pan of potatoes in the oven and then began to slice carrots and Lettuce. " May I help you Miss Hatty?" Anabelle asked " oh Deary if you would that would be mighty helpful." Miss Hatty said as she put green beans in a pan and then on the back of the stove. Anabelle mashed potatoes and helped make gravy and fry fish. " Deary.. don't forget to put a little bit of garlic in the pan with the fish." Miss Hatty called from outside as she went to milk the cow so that the customers could have fresh cream with their coffee.

Anabelle made a face as she chopped up the garlic and then she put into the pan with fish and then put the lid over it so it could seal in the flavor. Miss Hatty came back from milking the cow and got busy making the cream. "Alright Deary, it's 1 O'clock and that's what time I serve lunch." Miss Hatty said as she started making plates up. " who Serves all those people?" Anabelle asked since Miss Hatty had a full dining room. " Me and Penny. And sometimes Penny's sister Esther." Miss Hatty said as she continued to make up plates. " Sorry, The cow got out." A girl said as she came running in the back down and put on apron. " Penny, I has told you a hundred times yous can't be late on Thursdays." Miss Hatty said in a stern voice. " Yes Aunt Hatty,I know. But Milly got out and them slow poke boys weren't home yet." Penny said as she grabbed a plate and went out the door to start serving the closes table to the kitchen door.

"Don't the customers order?" Anabelle asked as she put more garlic in with the fresh fish. " No. I got me a blackboard and I write whats for every meal on it every day and if they don't want to eat what I is makin' then they go down the street to Adams place.. but he makes slop. So most everyone eats here." Miss Hatty said to Anabelle while she made another pot of coffee. Anabelle was amazed at how fast Penny could serve the food. " Wow..Penny is fast." Anabelle said as she made up another four plates for Penny to take out. " Trained her myself." Miss Hatty said as she looked up from making more biscuits. " How do you ever mange this place by yourself?" Anabelle asked " My Sons use to help me." Miss Hatty said while continuing to kneed the biscuit dough. " Where are they?" Anabelle asked " My Son Mark, who is Gage's father Died during the roundup a couple years ago. My Son Peter disappeared a couple years ago and I don't know where he is." Miss Hatty said and Anabelle though she saw tears run down the old woman's face but decided not to say anything and went back to fixing plates. " Aunt Hatty, Old Joe got out again. But I caught him and then fixed the fence." Said a little blonde headed boy who came in from the back.

" Anabelle, Meet Charlie. Gage's little brother..." before Miss Hatty could finished another blonde headed little boy ran in " And his twin Ronny." Miss Hatty finished as she handed both boys a cookie. " Charles, Ronald. Where are you two?" Gage called " In the Kitchen." Ronny said as he bit into cookie. " You rascals." Gage said as he ruffled Charlies hair. " Gage.. Aunt Hatty made cookies." Charlie said as held up a half eaten cookie. " well they look good." Gage said as he went and grabbed a cookie for himself. "Oh Aunt Hatty, You have outdone yourself again." Gage said as he bit into the cookie. "They are Peanut Butter." Miss Hatty said as she winked at Gage and then went back to cutting the cakes she had made. Soon the lunch rush was over and Anabelle said down for the first time in 2 hours. " Whew.. I'm tired. Is it always this busy?" Anabelle asked " If you think this is busy you should help with the dinner crowd." Penny said with a laugh as she started washing the dishes, Anabelle got back up and started to help Penny with dishes.

Later that night Anabelle clasped into bed and was so thankful for a bed and the last thing she remembered was thinking about how hard it was going to be to leave Miss Hatty's hotel the day after tomorrow. She awoke to a wonderful aroma filling the room. She got up and went over to the glass dish filled with water and washed her face and then she quickly put on her less fancy dress and went to help in the kitchen. Soon the breakfast rush was over and Anabelle went to her room to lay down. She awoke to someone knocking on her door. " Come in." She said in a sleepy voice. " Miss Matthews, My Name is Payten Nickels and Miss Hatty said you were also going on tomorrow stage to Pierre. And she said you were looking for a travel companion." Payten said to Anabelle. " I had mention to Miss Hatty that I would like to have a traveling companion. I must think on it um.. Mr. Nickels. I will let you know tonight at Supper." Anabelle said " Alright Miss Matthews." Payten said and the close the door behind him. " What would mother think about traveling with an unmarried man." Anabelle asked herself "But it would also be safer then traveling by myself, I guess I will have to pray on this matter and hopefully the Good Lord will see fit to give me the answer by Supper time. " Anabelle said to herself as she got up and get ready to help with dinner but by the time she got down to the kitchen she found out that she had slept through dinner. " Why didn't anyone wake me up?" Anabelle asked " Don't feel bad Deary. Penny and I did it by our selves before you came and we got it done, sides you needed that nap and Jerusalem Crickets I wasn't going to wake you up just so you could help with making up plates." Miss Hatty saidwith firmness in her voice " Miss Hatty that was our arrangement for the room. I was to help out in the kitchen." Anabelle said with frustration in her voice. "Well as the owner of this hotel I think I get to decided when a promise or arrangement is being broken." Miss Hatty said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Anabelle found Mr. Nickels sitting at a table by himself reading a book. She walked up and waited for him to finish his page. " Mr. Nickels I've decided to take you up on your offer." Anabelle said " Miss Matthews, I'm glad that you took me up on my offer and i'm sure Miss Hatty will feel better knowing you aren't going by yourself." Payten said with a smile. " May I ask why you are going to Pierre?" Anabelle asked " My Grandfather died a couple months ago and I'm his only living heir. Plus I just got a letter from my Gramma's companion that she isn't doing well. So I'm going to go take care of her and the farm." Payten said " Well that's very nice of you." Anabelle said as her respect for her new traveling companion grew by leaps and bounds. " Yep. My Grandparents basically raise me and then when I was 15 they sent me to live with my aunt and go to school in New York. This is the first time i've been back to the farm since they sent me away to school." Payten said with a sad smile. " Well I'm sure your grandmother is glad that your finally coming home." Anabelle said " Oh she doesn't know. I'm hoping if the stage is on schedule I will get there in time to make the 2 day drive out to the farm in time for my Gramma's birthday." Payten said with such love in his voice it almost made Anabelle want to cry. " Alright then. I will see you in the morning." Anabelle said as she started to leave the table. " Oh, Let me walk you to your room Miss Matthews." Payten said as he jumped up from the table. " Oh No, you must want to get back to your book." Anabelle said " Oh there will plenty of time to read but I hardly ever get to spend time in the company of a lovely young woman such as yourself." Payten said and Anabelle felt the heat raise to her face at the complement. So Payten walked Anabelle to her room and then bid her a good night.

Anabelle awoke the next morning before the rooster even crowed. She has washed her traveling dress last night and was glad since she had decided to travel with Mr. Nickels. She finished putting the little things in her Carpet bag and made sure her trunks were locked and then went to go find Mr. Nickels. " Well your up early Miss Matthews." Payten said as he came in from the shed with the milk bucket brimming with milk. He put it in the ice chest for Miss Hatty to find later that morning. "Alright the stage will be here soon. Are you all packed Miss Matthews?" Payten asked " Yes I'm all packed and ready to go." Anabelle said with a smile which made Payten blush a little. " Then I will go retrieve your trunks and get them to the stage." Payten said as he ran from the room. "Had she done something wrong to hurt his feelings?" Anabelle thought to herself but soon that thought was banished as Miss Hatty entered the room with Penny. " Deary,I sure am going to miss you." Miss Hatty said as she handed Anabelle a basket full of food. " Have a good trip. Oh I made this for you." Penny said as she handed Anabelle a hankie with her name knitted on it. " Oh Penny thank you." Anabelle said with tears " Your welcome. Will you write me?" Penny asked " Of Course. As soon as I get settled I will write you and Miss Hatty." Anabelle said as she hugged the young girl. " Miss Matthews, The Stage is here." Payten said " Coming Mr. Nickels." Anabelle said as she hugged Penny and Miss Hatty one more time.

Anabelle was so intent on getting to the Stage that she didn't pay any attention to what was in front of her and the next thing she knew, she was on the ground and covered in mud. " Oh dear just look at me." Anabelle moaned. " Hey Mister, are you going to apologize to the lady for bumping into her?" Payten asked the man who had bumped into her. " Sorry Ma'am." and Anabelle knew that voice in a instance. " Gage! Are you going to tell me goodbye?" Anabelle asked as she was helped up by Payten and brushed what mud she could off her dress " Bye Miss Matthews." Gage said and then went on his way to the hotel as it was any normal day. " I wonder what his problem is?" Anabelle asked as she let Payten help her into the stage and then went to make sure her trunks got loaded. "You have a right nice young man there Ma'am." The elderly gentleman sitting across from her said " Well.. um.. Thank you." Anabelle said " He must love you awful lot, if you had been my lady I would have hit that other young man so hard for knocking you down. Oh my look at my manners. I'm Dr. Bradford Dickensen. But I'm just known as Dr. Brad in these parts." Dr. Brad said with a smile.

" Well thanks for your concern Dr. Brad, and I hope we get to know each other better in the next few days." Anabelle said and Dr. Brad open his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Payten getting into the stage and that stopped the conversation. It was dark when Anabelle open her eyes. She looked out the stage window and saw how bright the stars were and she was amazed that she never noticed them before. " Course in Charlottesville the gas lamps were always on so you would never know how bright the stars can be." Anabelle told herself and at the moment her stomach decided to growl, so she picked up the basket off food Miss. Hatty had packed and took out a turkey and cheese sandwich. She couldn't believe how much she missed Miss. Hatty and Penny already and she hadn't even been gone for day yet. She missed the warmth of the kitchen and how Miss. Hatty always out did herself at every meal. She missed the the talks around the table with cookies and coffee. " If I find my Father, we are going to sit down at night with cookies and coffee and tell each other about our day."Anabelle promised herself as she took the last bite of her sandwich and then shook as many crumbs as she could out of her dress and then wrapped herself back up in the quilt that Miss. Hatty has also sent with her and went to sleep with pleasant thoughts in her mind. Anabelle awoke with a start when the stage hit a bump. " Oh, Miss Matthews are you alright." Payten asked " Yes, Mr. Nickels I'm fine. How about we eat those Biscuits Miss. Hatty sent us in the basket and let us share with Dr. Brad." Anabelle said as she unwrapped the biscuits and handed two of them to Dr. Brad who nodded his head as he bit into one.

Anabelle then turned to Payten and said " How many Biscuits do you want Payten?" Payten was now speechless. She had said his name and it sounded sweeter then honey on bread. " Had she realized that she had used his given name and forgot that they were no longer in private." He thought to himself. " Mr. Nickels. How many Biscuits?" Anabelle asked using his given name which snapped him out of his thought. " Um.. give me three Miss. Matthews." Payten said with a slight hesitation. Anabelle carefully wrapped the three biscuits in a napkin and handed them to him. Their hands touched for a slight second and in that second Payten felt electricity shoot through his whole body. He nearly almost dropped all the biscuits but thankfully he caught them just in time. " She must think i'm the clumsiest person on the earth." Payten thought to himself as he took a bite of his first biscuit and looked out the window.

Anabelle was wondering if Payten had felt that shoot of energy as she had. She was so busy thinking about what had happen between her and Payten that she didn't notice that the stage had come to stop in one of the smaller town. " Alright Folks. Yous can get out and stretch them legs of yours and I will back in ten minutes." The stage driver said as he headed toward the Post Office. Anabelle was grateful for the time she had to stretch, her legs were so sore from sitting and her back ached from not being to move around much. She got out of stage with help from Dr. Brad and the decided she wanted to go to the store. " Mr. Nickels, I'm going to go look at the store." Anabelle said as she grabbed her handbag and headed toward the store. " Miss. Matthews, Let me accompany you." Payten said as he jogged to catch up with her. " Oh Mr. Nickles you don't have to." Anabelle said with a smile. " Well as your traveling Companion its my job to make sure you are safe. And I must pick up some sweets for my Grandmother." Payten said with a tinkle in his eyes

. "Did he know how green his eyes were? Did he know that some days his eyes were blue with tiny green flecks?" Anabelle Rose Marie Matthews! Stop this thinking at this very moment it isn't proper." Anabelle said as she scolded herself for having such thoughts. She entered the store and went straight to where the fabric was hanging. She looked at all the different colors of Gingham. She finally decided on what colors she wanted

"Alright Missy, Can I help you?" A Man asked " Yes, I would like 2 yards of the red and white Gingham and then I want 3 yards of the Green and 2 yard of the blue." Anabelle said to the store owner. So he cut the fabric for her wrapped it up and she paid the man and left feeling very happy. " I'm going to make myself two new dresses and then I will make Curtains and a tablecloth for the house my father and I will share." Anabelle said with a smile as she put the fabric she had just brought in her carpetbag and then pushed the carpetbag under where she was sitting and she was ready to end her long journey. " Alright, load up." The stage driver said as he loaded the two bags of mail on the stage. Payten took his seat next to Anabelle and Dr. Brad and another women took the seats across from her. " Every one this is Ellie Mae Thompson. She will joining us for the last leg of our Journey." Dr. Brad as he introduced Ellie Mae. Anabelle nodded and smiled at Ellie Mae and Payten just tipped his hat and went back to reading his book. Anabelle noticed that He wasn't very social with people he didn't know and yet he had been very social with her.

"Mr. Nickels you are a very strange man." Anabelle said with a smile as she wrapped herself up in the quilt and put her head on the window and went to sleep thinking about stars and Payten Nickles.

Anabelle awoke when something hard hit her. She open her eyes to find Payten's face in her face and the stage was tipped. " Sorry folks. We hit a rock which has broken one of the wheels. It will take a few minutes to change but we need to get the women out and the men need to help with the changing the wheel." The stage driver said as he opened the door. " I'm sorry Miss. Matthews. But when the stage tipped I couldn't hold myself up." Payten said "it's alright Mr. Nickels. Its not like you put the rock in the road." Anabelle said with a laugh. " You quite right Miss. Matthews." Payten said with a laugh as he helped her and Ellie Mae out of the tipped stage and the escorted them to some rocks where they could sit down until the stage was fixed. Anabelle got to know Ellie Mae while the men and the stage coach driver fixed the broken wheel. " So Ellie Mae where are you from?" Anabelle asked as she turned to the younger women. " Well I come from Kansas but my family is from Boston. I just finished teaching school in Kansas and now I'm to be the second school teacher at the school in Pierre. I'm going to be teaching the little ones." Ellie Mae said with a smile on her face and Anabelle could tell she was very happy with what she was going to be doing.

" So why are you going to Pierre?" Ellie Mae asked

Anabelle sighed " I'm looking for my Father. He left me and my mother in Charlottesville when I was 8 to come out to Dakota and start a farm. He never like the big city unlike my mother." Anabelle told Ellie Mae " Oh that's so sweet of you. To give up you life of comfort to come rough it and find your father." Ellie Mae said with excitement " Yes. That's me Sweet ole Anabelle." Anabelle said with sarcasm in her voice. Ellie Mae then went on to talk about her home in Boston and her family. Anabelle learned Ellie Mae was the oldest out of eight children and her Mother had two sets of twins. " Wow.. Two sets of twins. Amazing." Anabelle said when Ellie Mae said it was not very often that one family gets two sets of twins. Then Ellie Mae went on about her other three siblings and and how they missed her. Finally after listening to Ellie Mae for a lot longer then she wanted to Anabelle decided to go check on the progress of fixing the wheel. Anabelle picked up her skirt and was careful to walk around all mounds in grass until she was safely by the stage coach and then she asked " So how is the wheel coming?" " Oh its almost done Miss. Matthews." Dr. Brad said with a smile " Oh that's good to hear. Are we going to be on schedule?" Anabelle asked " I'm afraid not. We will have to spend the night in Little Springs. I have to also get a new axle." The driver said " Oh Excuse me but I've been very rude. What is your name?" Anabelle asked the driver " James Smith. Ma'm." James said with a little bit of embarrassment " Well Mr. Smith thank you for being such a good driver." Anabelle said and placed a kiss on his cheek before turning to walk back and join Ellie Mae. James Blushed and then cleared his throat and went back to fixing the stage. Soon Anabelle saw Payten walking towards them and the butterflies in her middle returned. She put on her brave face and smiled at him as he closer. "Alright, Miss. Matthews , Miss Thompson. Its time to go." Payten said as he offered each of them an arm to walk them back to the stage. As soon as Anabelle came in contact with his arm a electric feeling shoot up through is arm and he wondered if she felt it. He helped them into the stage and the he took his seat next Anabelle and got comfortable for the two hour ride to Little Springs.

Payten awoke to a someone saying his name and something warm sliding down this throat. " Come on now Payten, you need to swallow as much of this as you can."

"Anabelle?" Payten said in whisper because it hurt to talk any louder. " Yes Payten it's me." Anabelle said in a soft voice that reminded him of his mother. " What happen?" Payten asked " You started throwing up as we pulled into town. The Doc says you have the measles And I'm the only one who has had them. So I get to be your nurse." Anabelle said with a quite laugh. " Thank you God." Payten said in mind. " Now you get some sleep. But I will be right here if you need me." Anabelle said as she pulled out her bible and went over to the rocking chair in the corner by the window. She was absolutely beautiful, Payten noticed that she had a piece of curly hair that fell over her forehead when she read and the way she crinkled her nose when she laughed and how her blue eyes reminded him of Lakes. " I think I love her." Payten said to himself as he drifted off to sleep with thought of Anabelle on his mind.

He awoke sometime later in the day, because the sun was low in the sky. He looked around and saw Anabelle asleep in the rocking chair. The way the sun hit her hair it make her red hair shine and gave her a little halo. " I think that's the most beautiful sight I have ever laid my eyes on." Payten whispered to himself and he knew right then and there he had found the women he wanted to marry. Now if only he could convince her that he really loved her and wouldn't get in the way of her finding her father. Anabelle looked up from reading her bible to find Payten looking at her. She quickly went back to reading about Moses and the Red Sea. _" Was that a look of love in his eyes"_ Anabelle thought herself. "No. I will not let him distract him from finding my father."Anabelle said out loud and then wished she hadn't when she saw the hurt look on Payten face. Anabelle now felt like the worst person in the world. "Maybe after I find my father, he can court me properly. That is if he still wants after how rude I've been." Anabelle said to herself as she went back to her bible and decided to read a Psalms and reflect on what she had just did. " Grammy always did say I should think before I say anything." Anabelle whispered as she went to go get some more broth for Payten to eat.


End file.
